Cool "Hidden" features of the E53 X5

[DrunkenNinja]

I did quite a bit of research on the Transmission / Driving style reset...

I posted my findings here: http://www.xoutpost.com/723906-post7.html

It's an interesting read if you have time, it basically says that its a myth that the transmission is reset and that by holding the accelerator down you are telling the car that you will be driving aggresivly today...

Unfortunately from what I have read the adaptive drive only functions from journey to jpurney and this information is not stored in the memory...

I would love to read different though as I'm currently having some problems which this could solve, I believe a dealer can re-flash the transmission though which may cure some problems on a more permanant basis...

[m5james]

I removed my center console for my stereo installation, and once I started the car, it gave me the Trans Failsafe error. After a few repeated attempts of driving, no reverse and hard slams in each gear I remember the reset procedure. Once I did that, it was all back to normal.

Either way, we're getting off topic.

[maxandfriend]

Lets revive this thread with a nice unpublished trick...

Owner manual says that Hill Descent Control (little button on center console) lets you go down a slippery hill at a fixed factory predefined speed.

That's not all true..!
The speed is NOT factory predefined... you can still control it with the very same steering wheel buttons you use to change speed while using cruise control..!

So, lets say you're driving down a snowy road, you may use HDC nor having to worry about braking and slipping and so on, and neither being forced to drive at walking speed... just turn HDC on, tune it to a (slow) speed you feel adequate to the road condition and let it do all the hard work for you..!

Oh, BTW, never forget electronics can do nothing against phisics laws, so be carefull..!

Just my 2 cents..

[X5 Meister]

This is true, as long as the speed is under 35 mph and HDC is initially activated below 20 mph.

It is published by the way... in the manual.

Originally Posted by maxandfriend

Lets revive this thread with a nice unpublished trick...

Owner manual says that Hill Descent Control (little button on center console) lets you go down a slippery hill at a fixed factory predefined speed.

That's not all true..!
The speed is NOT factory predefined... you can still control it with the very same steering wheel buttons you use to change speed while using cruise control..!

So, lets say you're driving down a snowy road, you may use HDC nor having to worry about braking and slipping and so on, and neither being forced to drive at walking speed... just turn HDC on, tune it to a (slow) speed you feel adequate to the road condition and let it do all the hard work for you..!

Oh, BTW, never forget electronics can do nothing against phisics laws, so be carefull..!

Just my 2 cents..

[PaulE]

Here's a couple more:
Even though the battery is in the back under the spare tire, you have positive and negative posts under the hood to jump start or charge the battery.

There are little "opera lights" underneath the side view mirrors.

Cars with rear climate controls have an "on/off" thumb wheel for the rear passenger vent.

They also have window shades that manually pull up and clip into a holder to keep sun off of the little ones out back.

Some cars will have the telephone module where you can program your cellular phone to work through the car as a hands free device.

You can increase the speed at which your X is travelling under cruise control by hitting the up button.

There is another 12V outlet behind your center console at the rear HVAC vent.

When you lift up your spare tire cover, there is a clip that goes over the weatherstrip at the top of your hatch that holds it up out of your way.

[X5 Meister]

Nice finds. Let me add a few others that are equally hidden and cool.

If your car has an automatic transmission, you have 2 pedals (one for gas and one for brake), HOWEVER, if you have a manual transmission, you have a 3rd pedal! I think it's to the left of the brake pedal, though I can't be certain.

Speaking of the gas pedal. It turns out that the harder you step on it, the faster the car will go EXCEPT if you are in park, then no matter how hard you press on it the car won't go, it will just make a lot of noise.

The exact same key that you use to open the car can be used to start it.

The radio has AM AND FM stations.

There is a giant panel of glass located right in front of you when you are sitting in the front seats that blocks the wind and rain from hitting your face when you drive. You'll just have to take this one on faith since it's glass and thus after all somewhat invisible to the naked eye.

There is a panel outside on the back right side of the car that hides a secret tube/duct/hole (whatever you want to call it), that whenever you connect a fuel hose to makes the fuel amazingly disappear ALONG with the money in your wallet.

All four tires have sensors that in the event they pick up a nail, are damaged, or hit their minimum thread rating will send a signal to every tire dealer in the country to raise the prices on those tires 25% above what they were just one day ago and declare that inventory is so dangerously low that if you don't immediately buy 4 tires with warranties today, you might be driving home on 4 rotors tomorrow.

The dashboard cluster has a number of lights that incredibly will illuminate only when your bank balance and stock portfolio are at their lowest levels of the year.

When the car is just out of warranty, and only when it is out of warranty, and requires repair service, the BMW Assist service will call the service advisor to quote you $5,000+ in repairs and remind you to go have a free coffee in their lounge while they look for more stuff that needs replacing else the car will implode itself.

While enjoying said free coffee, all new car brochures have miraculously disappeared and sales people have no idea what you are talking about when you ask for one.

Having abandoned getting a new brochure, a visit to the parts counter to ask to look up anything more than a single part yields an expression from the parts guy like you asked him to pass a kidney stone as he desperately seeks to leave in order to get back to viewing internet porn.

Incredible stuff these BWM 5X's

[mikem0re]

X5 Meister, you are right, X5 is an incredible machine. I don't have any of this on my second car, an Honda Civic...

[Weasel]

I removed the wheel sensors myself so prices don't go up 25%, and my skinny pedal on the right must be longer than the ones in the 3.0i as it works better.

[PaulE]

Sounds like the Meister hasn't had his coffee this morning.

By the way, I am one of the few who has read his owner's manual from start to finish.

[rocky1536]

Originally Posted by PaulE

Here's a couple more:
Even though the battery is in the back under the spare tire, you have positive and negative posts under the hood to jump start or charge the battery.

There are little "opera lights" underneath the side view mirrors.

Cars with rear climate controls have an "on/off" thumb wheel for the rear passenger vent.

They also have window shades that manually pull up and clip into a holder to keep sun off of the little ones out back.

Some cars will have the telephone module where you can program your cellular phone to work through the car as a hands free device.

You can increase the speed at which your X is travelling under cruise control by hitting the up button.

There is another 12V outlet behind your center console at the rear HVAC vent.

When you lift up your spare tire cover, there is a clip that goes over the weatherstrip at the top of your hatch that holds it up out of your way.

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Nice finds. Let me add a few others that are equally hidden and cool.

If your car has an automatic transmission, you have 2 pedals (one for gas and one for brake), HOWEVER, if you have a manual transmission, you have a 3rd pedal! I think it's to the left of the brake pedal, though I can't be certain.

Speaking of the gas pedal. It turns out that the harder you step on it, the faster the car will go EXCEPT if you are in park, then no matter how hard you press on it the car won't go, it will just make a lot of noise.

The exact same key that you use to open the car can be used to start it.

The radio has AM AND FM stations.

There is a giant panel of glass located right in front of you when you are sitting in the front seats that blocks the wind and rain from hitting your face when you drive. You'll just have to take this one on faith since it's glass and thus after all somewhat invisible to the naked eye.

There is a panel outside on the back right side of the car that hides a secret tube/duct/hole (whatever you want to call it), that whenever you connect a fuel hose to makes the fuel amazingly disappear ALONG with the money in your wallet.

All four tires have sensors that in the event they pick up a nail, are damaged, or hit their minimum thread rating will send a signal to every tire dealer in the country to raise the prices on those tires 25% above what they were just one day ago and declare that inventory is so dangerously low that if you don't immediately buy 4 tires with warranties today, you might be driving home on 4 rotors tomorrow.

The dashboard cluster has a number of lights that incredibly will illuminate only when your bank balance and stock portfolio are at their lowest levels of the year.

When the car is just out of warranty, and only when it is out of warranty, and requires repair service, the BMW Assist service will call the service advisor to quote you $5,000+ in repairs and remind you to go have a free coffee in their lounge while they look for more stuff that needs replacing else the car will implode itself.

While enjoying said free coffee, all new car brochures have miraculously disappeared and sales people have no idea what you are talking about when you ask for one.

Having abandoned getting a new brochure, a visit to the parts counter to ask to look up anything more than a single part yields an expression from the parts guy like you asked him to pass a kidney stone as he desperately seeks to leave in order to get back to viewing internet porn.

Incredible stuff these BWM 5X's

HAHAHA